Your period has been all over the place for the last few months. Some cycles bring so much bleeding that you’re changing a super absorbent tampon every hour, and others barely show up at all. On top of that, you’ve noticed lower back pain and chills, symptoms that don’t usually come with your cycle.

It’s easy to brush off period changes, especially if you’ve always been fairly regular. But your period can tell you a lot about what’s happening inside your body, and changes in length, volume, or timing are worth mentioning to a doctor, even when you’re pretty sure it’s nothing.

Why Your Kidneys Matter

Your kidneys filter close to 180 to 200 quarts of blood every day, producing about one to two quarts of urine in the process. They pull water and waste out of your bloodstream, and that waste travels from the kidneys to the bladder and out through the urethra.

Your kidneys also manage electrolyte levels, fluid balance, red blood cell production, and blood pressure. When something disrupts that system, whether it’s an infection or a chronic condition, the effects can show up in unexpected places, including your period.

Kidney Infection vs. Kidney Disease: What’s the Difference?

These are two different conditions, and the distinction matters. A kidney infection, left untreated, can lead to kidney disease or even kidney failure. That’s why any symptoms are worth bringing to a doctor rather than waiting to see if they pass.

Kidney Infections

Most kidney infections start with bacteria entering the urinary tract through the urethra. If it’s not treated, that bacteria can multiply and travel upward. Often the infection begins as a urinary tract infection (UTI) or bladder infection before reaching the kidneys.

According to the American Urological Association, roughly 1 in every 30 UTI cases leads to a kidney infection. People who are pregnant, have diabetes, have weakened immune systems, or have uterine fibroids face a higher risk.

Kidney Disease

Kidney disease is a gradual decline in how well one or both kidneys function. The Mayo Clinic reports that chronic kidney disease affects about one in ten adults in the United States. Diabetes, high blood pressure, recurring kidney infections, urinary tract blockages, kidney inflammation, and polycystic kidney disease are among the common causes.

Can Kidney Disease Affect Your Period?

Kidney disease can be hard to catch early because the kidneys often compensate for lost function until the condition becomes serious. Women with kidney disease may notice period changes such as:

• Bleeding that lasts more than seven days
• Missed periods
• Early onset of menopause
• Bleeding outside your typical cycle

If you’re at higher risk for kidney disease and you’ve noticed changes like these, talk to your doctor before symptoms get worse. Your body may be signaling something that needs attention.

Other Causes of Heavy Periods

If kidney disease doesn’t seem to explain your symptoms, several other conditions are worth ruling out:

• Endometriosis
• Adenomyosis
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Medications such as birth control or anticoagulants
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Menopause
• Other hormone imbalances
• Pregnancy
• Uterine fibroids

Keeping track of changes in your period’s regularity, volume, and length makes it much easier to describe what’s going on when you see a doctor. If you’re also dealing with heavy periods, fatigue, pelvic pain, bloating, constipation, frequent urination, pain during sex, or an enlarged abdomen, it may be worth asking a specialist whether fibroids could be involved.

Want to try our period tracker? Click here to check your period’s length and regularity.

Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths that develop in the uterus. Depending on their size and location, they can press on nearby organs, including the bladder, rectum, intestines, and kidneys.

Can Fibroids Cause Kidney Problems?

Yes. If a fibroid grows large enough, it can press on the ureter, the tube connecting the kidney to the bladder. When that happens, urine flow can back up, causing the kidney to swell, a condition called hydronephrosis. If urine can’t drain properly, bacteria can build up and lead to kidney or bladder infections. Paying attention to how often you’re urinating and how much you’re passing each time can help you catch this early.

Hydronephrosis often comes with painful urination, a frequent urge to go, abdominal pain or swelling, and back or side pain. Left untreated, it can lead to permanent kidney damage.

Treating Kidney Issues Caused by Fibroids

Treating fibroids isn’t just about your period. It can also protect organs like your kidneys from ongoing pressure and damage. Living with fibroids can wear a person down, and many women find that heavy bleeding and pelvic pain start to limit what they can comfortably do at work, in social settings, and at home. If you’ve noticed real changes in your period, it may be worth talking to a specialist about whether fibroids are the underlying cause.

At the Fibroid Fighters Foundation, our goal is to give women the information they need to make informed decisions about their health. Fibroid treatment options range from surgical to non-surgical. Uterine fibroid embolization (UFE) is a non-surgical, outpatient procedure that preserves the uterus and fertility. It may help reduce the size of fibroids pressing on the bladder or kidneys, and it may also help lighten period length and volume over time.

If you have questions about fibroid treatment or an abnormal period, call us at 855.455.5262, or contact us online.